It has been a week since we picked
up our 13 and 15 year old daughters from summer camp. While my wife and I were
excited to have our family together; they would prefer to be at camp with their
friends. They wake up in the morning;
they turn on their phones and begin snap chatting with their friends. We ask
them to do something and their response is: “Just as soon as I finish this
conversation.” We look around for them and they are texting their camp friends.
We get in the car and they insist on listening to the camp CD. They walk around
the house moping and whining about how much they miss camp. They tell us how
miserable they are. They tell us they can’t wait until camp starts again. In
the middle of a television show, they will begin weeping and tell us that they
miss camp. My wife and I had been to camp. I spent 10 consecutive summers at a
summer camp as a camper and on staff.
But dealing with their “camp sickness” has been unbearable.
This Shabbat we read from Parsha Ki
Teitzei. The parsha focuses up the not so wonderful aspects of everyday life.
It begins with how to behave when B'nai Yisroel goes out to war and taking
spoils. Moshe reminds B'nai Yisroel of the laws of inheritance favor the first
born. Moshe teaches B'nai Yisroel about the laws of the rebellious son, and his
punishment, as well as how to treat the dead after they capital
punishment. Moshe reminds B'nai Yisroel
that they have a responsibility to care for those less well off: leave a
portion of their field un-harvested, returning lost property, and paying
employees on a timely basis. B'nai Yisroel is reminded, again, of relationships
that are acceptable and those that are not.
During Moshe Rabeinu’s shopping
list of laws that range from behavior in war, to relationships, employees,
children and the impoverished, Moshe talks about the camp, who is prohibited
from being in the camp, and when someone deemed “impure” is permitted to return
to the camp. Moshe even reminds them that they should take a shovel with them so
that they can leave the camp, and go to the bathroom. Why all this concern about “the camp”? Ki Adoshem Elokecha Mihaleich B’Kerev
Machanecha L’Hatzilcha V’LaTeit Oivecha Lefanecha – For Hashem, your God, walks in the midst of your camp to rescue you and
to deliver your enemies from before you; V’Hayah Machanecha Kadosh V’Lo Yirech V’Cha Ervat Davar V’Shav
M’Acharecha – so your camp shall be
holy, so that He will not see a shameful thing among you and turn away from
behind you (Deut. 23:15). The sanctity of the camp was first talked about
in Vayikra. However that camp was all of B'nai Yisroel in the context of
constructing a Mishkan (a portable worship station). This camp is a small camp, in the context of B'nai
Yisroel’s soldiers going off to war. Even that camp has rules, regulations, and
a code of conduct that can either elevate or demean the camps sanctity. What makes a soldiers camp so sacred? On one
level, the camp is considered so sacred because these soldiers are about to go
into battle against B'nai Yisroel’s sworn enemies: the Ammonites, the Moabites,
the Midianites and the Canaanites. The camp is also sacred because of the bonds
that are established between the members of the camp. These soldiers fight and
care for the welfare and the lives of their fellow soldiers. Conceptually, those bonds, the bonds between
soldiers within the same unit are almost like family: they become a “band of
brothers”. That bond is sacred. That bond is holy.
No our daughters are not veterans.
No theirs was not a military camp, or base. However there is no doubt that the
camp was sacred. The relationships forged are sacred. God was present in the
camp. Whether God’ presence was manifest in prayer or in learning, these activities
also bound the campers together. It is these
intense experiences and the time shared that made their relationships at camp
so sacred. No wonder, that they go to sleep telling us how much they miss camp
and hate being home.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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